Biden Administration Announces ‘Menstrual Hygiene Day’ – Period.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has announced a holiday called “Menstrual Hygiene Day,” aimed at fostering a period-friendly environment for “menstruators.”

“To commemorate this Menstrual Hygiene Day, the Women’s Bureau is breaking down the stereotypes and stigmas that have made menstruation a taboo topic in the workplace,” the DOL’s blog stated. “Menstruation is a natural part of half our population’s life, and yet it has been overlooked in the context of work – perhaps because it is seen as a personal issue or uncomfortable to discuss.”

In their blog post, the DOL outlines five ways employers can create a menstrual-friendly workplace:

1. Provide a sufficient supply of varied period products in bathrooms and ensure they can be accessed privately.
2. Allow flexibility in uniforms, offering options in dark colors to prevent noticeable stains from unexpected periods or heavier flows.
3. Introduce scheduling and work flexibilities like telework, flexible hours, or shift modifications.
4. Ensure access to paid sick leave, specifying menstruation as a qualifying condition for leave, and inform employees and managers of these provisions.
5. Educate and train workers and managers on menstruation symptoms and their impact at work, and include menstruation support services in any Employee Assistance Program offered.

The DOL’s use of the term “menstruators” instead of women sparked responses from several individuals.

“Does Biden go around calling women ‘menstruators?’ That’s pretty creepy,” wrote Tim Carney, a columnist with the Washington Examiner, in a post on X.

Abigail Jackson, the communications director for Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) wrote: “I believe the word they’re looking for is, ‘women.’”

The announcement of Menstrual Hygiene Day coincides with the Biden administration’s recent amendments to the Federal Title IX rules, reversing several policies instituted by former President Donald Trump.

The updated Title IX regulations classify sexual discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation, prohibiting schools from separating students by sex.

In 2021, the Biden administration replaced the term “mother” with “birthing people” in the White House’s budget proposal for the 2022 fiscal year, according to Newsweek.